Opinion & reviews

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• Longevity as nihilism: NZZ criticizes youth obsession with anti-aging opinion-review

  A Neue Zürcher Zeitung opinion piece argues that the current longevity trend among young people is a form of nihilism. The author contends that longevity culture promotes a fit…

• Silke Burmester critiques hormone replacement therapy as lifestyle product opinion-review

  Journalist Silke Burmester argues that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for menopause has become a lifestyle product and a new point of contention among women. She questions who…

• Hong Kong's AI strategy criticized for narrow focus and unrealistic goals opinion-review

  Hong Kong's government is pouring unprecedented tax dollars into AI development, but a critical opinion piece argues the city's approach lacks a broader vision and sets…

• Tyler Brûlé argues for air conditioning to boost Europe's economy and productivity opinion-review

  In a Monocle column, Tyler Brûlé argues that Europe's economic sluggishness is linked to insufficient air conditioning during increasingly hot summers. He notes record-breaking…

• Italy's Cultural Policy Questioned in Cartoon opinion-review

  A cartoon published by Le Journal des Arts on June 28, 2026, titled "Elle est où l’Italie ?" (Where is Italy?), was inspired by an article questioning why Italy lacks a Tate…

• Slavoj Žižek Calls Peter Thiel the Antichrist in Interview opinion-review

  In an interview with NZZ, philosopher Slavoj Žižek discusses fear, decision-making, and love, and controversially labels tech billionaire Peter Thiel as the Antichrist. The…

• Angelina Jolie Stars in Alice Winocour's Flimsy Fashion Drama 'Couture' opinion-review

  Alice Winocour's 'Couture', set in the Parisian high-fashion scene, stars Angelina Jolie as American film director Maxine Walker, who is hired to direct a runway show for an…

• Philosopher Gisèle Berkman Criticizes Hagai Levi's 'Etty' Series on Arte opinion-review

  Philosopher Gisèle Berkman published a critical opinion piece in Le Monde, denouncing Israeli director Hagai Levi's adaptation of Etty Hillesum's diary for the Arte series 'Etty'.…

• Pop-Up Gallery Security: Focus on Sales, Not Theft opinion-review

  A practical guide for artists hosting pop-up gallery shows argues that theft is far less of a threat than obscurity. The article, published on Red Dot Blog, advises artists to…

• Courtroom Cinema: Women on Trial in Three Films opinion-review

  An article on elhype.com examines how three films use the courtroom genre to explore gender, race, and justice. The films are 'Reversal of Fortune' (Barbet Schroeder, 1990),…

• Italy's Migration Policy and the Need for a 'Creativity License' to Attract Global Talent opinion-review

  Italy, home to approximately 59 million residents, ranks as the 25th most populous nation, though it may soon be overtaken by Kenya. The world’s population has surpassed 8.3…

• Ludovic Hunter-Tilney explores immersive listening spaces to combat digital distraction opinion-review

  Ludovic Hunter-Tilney, a pop critic for the Financial Times, investigates curated listening experiences designed to counter digital overwhelm. These venues feature darkened rooms…

• Dress Code 26: Vanity as Cultural Paradox opinion-review

  Bianca Terracciano and Anita Romanello explore the cultural history of vanity in 'Dress code 26. Vanità delle vanità' on doppiozero. The article traces the etymology of vanity…

• Riccardo Manzotti's 'Un senso all’odio' on Doppiozero opinion-review

  Riccardo Manzotti's article 'Un senso all’odio' is published on Doppiozero. The piece argues that inclusive goodwill, which demands acceptance of others' values without allowing…

• Monocle's Quality of Life Survey: Cities as Theatres opinion-review

  In a column for Monocle's July/August 2026 issue, editor Andrew Tuck reflects on how personal connections shape one's experience of a city, using the magazine's annual survey of…

• Two Coastal Mysteries: Simón's 'Romería' and Jenkin's 'Rose of Nevada' opinion-review

  Two complementary films, 'Romería' by Carla Simón and 'Rose of Nevada' by Mark Jenkin, have been released in American theaters, forming a midsummer double bill centered on coastal…

• Ballet's Body Horror: From 'The Red Shoes' to 'Pretty Lethal' opinion-review

  A new article argues that ballet is a natural subject for horror films due to the extreme physical toll it takes on dancers. The 2026 film 'Pretty Lethal,' starring Maddie…

• Design's Role in Shaping National Identity for America 250 opinion-review

  As America 250 approaches, the role of design in shaping national identity is under scrutiny. The official logo, a star-shaped ribbon in red, white, and blue, promotes unity, but…

• Classical music concerts increasingly rely on visual elements to engage audiences opinion-review

  In an opinion piece for The New York Times, the author observes that modern audiences, steeped in a 24/7 visual culture driven by iPhones, now expect to see music as much as hear…

• German Summer Heat Discourse: Complaining About Complaining opinion-review

  The article critiques two prevalent German summer heat discourse variants: complaining about the heat and complaining about the complaining. It argues neither approach helps…

• Andy Burnham's Cultural Legacy in Manchester: From Aviva Studios to the Bee Network opinion-review

  Since 2017, Andy Burnham has served as the mayor of Greater Manchester and is considered a potential candidate for UK prime minister. He has woven culture into the region's civic…

• Debate on Aging and Retirement: Society's Misunderstanding opinion-review

  A recent opinion piece in Süddeutsche Zeitung critiques the debate around retirement age, arguing that people do not age synchronously. The article reflects on a society that has…

• Caravaggio's 'Resurrection of Lazarus' as a mirror of 'Calling of St Matthew' opinion-review

  The article offers a close reading of Caravaggio's 'Resurrection of Lazarus', arguing it is a specular double of his earlier 'Calling of St Matthew' in the Contarelli Chapel. The…

• Debate erupts over AI artist's Gaudí hotel renders opinion-review

  Readers are fiercely debating AI artist Thierry Lechanteur's digital recreations of Antoni Gaudí's unrealized plans for a supertall hotel in New York. The renders, published on…

• Short-term rentals threaten Italy's small towns, not just big cities opinion-review

  The debate over short-term rentals has expanded beyond major Italian cities to small towns and rural areas. An interview with Francesco Grillo, an entrepreneur from Bari who…

• Why It's Okay to Be Excited About Sequels, Remakes, and Revivals opinion-review

  So, there's this interesting piece by Sarah Ward discussing how people are totally justified in their enthusiasm for both new movies and franchise films. She uses box office stats…

• French far-right makes culture a presidential campaign battleground opinion-review

  For the first time, culture is set to become a major issue in the French presidential election, driven by the far-right Rassemblement National (RN). The RN proposes privatizing…

• Aline Foriel-Destezet Opens New Classical Music Hall in Évian opinion-review

  Patron Aline Foriel-Destezet inaugurated a new classical music hall in Évian on Tuesday, further cementing her outsized influence in a sector starved of public support and…

• Putin als Hitler oder Voldemort: Wie Dämonisierung Verhandlungen blockiert opinion-review

  Ein Leitartikel der FAZ argumentiert, dass der Westen Putin mit Hitler oder Lord Voldemort vergleicht, um die Weigerung zu rechtfertigen, mit Russland zu verhandeln. Die…

• Artist Tom Adair exposes hidden costs of entering art prizes opinion-review

  Artist Tom Adair sparked debate on Instagram by itemizing his $2,683 cost to enter the Archibald Prize, including entry fee, materials, framing, travel, and courier fees.…

• Jorge Gorostiza analiza la representación de la inmobiliaria en el cine español de los 60 opinion-review

  Jorge Gorostiza analiza la película 'Un millón en la basura' (1967) de José María Forqué, destacando cómo retrata a un empresario inmobiliario. La trama sigue a Pepe Martínez…

• Hong Kong's bilingualism as AI truth-checking asset opinion-review

  Hong Kong's bilingualism, cultivated over centuries, enables triangulation of truth across two knowledge systems, a critical asset in the AI era. When AI fabricates information,…

• Jay Pitter Links Knicks Victory to Mamdani's Public Joy Policies opinion-review

  In an article for Azure Magazine, public space practitioner Jay Pitter argues that the collective joy following the New York Knicks' NBA championship win was enabled by structural…

• Olivia Wilde's 'The Invite' Examines Marriage and Nonmonogamy opinion-review

  Olivia Wilde's new film 'The Invite,' distributed by A24, premiered and is reviewed in CULTURED. The movie centers on a dinner party hosted by Joe (Seth Rogen) and Angela (Wilde),…

• Social Media Ban for Adults Proposed in German Debate opinion-review

  A debate in Germany has proposed banning social media not just for children, but for adults as well. The argument suggests that adults, not children, are the true risk group in…

• Sinatra the Musical: Stylish but Superficial Portrait at Aldwych Theatre opinion-review

  Sinatra the Musical, now playing at London's Aldwych Theatre, offers a visually stylish tribute to Frank Sinatra but fails to delve deeply into the singer's complex character. The…

• Dalí's Face as a Protest Symbol: The Irony of the Money Heist Mask opinion-review

  Salvador Dalí crafted his persona as a Surrealist artwork, borrowing his mustache from Diego Velázquez and performing for Philippe Halsman, Walt Disney, and Alfred Hitchcock.…

• Kopftuch-Debatte: Die Angst vor freien Schultern opinion-review

  A debate has erupted in Germany over the wearing of the hijab by influencer Nur El-Huda Chehade, reflecting broader anxieties about female sexuality and the growing appeal of…

• Italy's lack of a national contemporary art museum like Tate Modern or Centre Pompidou opinion-review

  Italy does not possess a prominent national museum for modern and contemporary art akin to the Tate Modern or Centre Pompidou, a situation attributed to historical fragmentation…

• Football as Last Shared Experience: Economic Fragmentation Threatens Social Cohesion opinion-review

  Christian Bracht's essay in SLEEK examines football's role as a rare source of social cohesion in a fragmented Germany. The national team's match against Ecuador on Thursday…